That one thing that ruined everything
by LadyMuis
Summary: Harry ends up losing everything dear to him when a confession is made public.


_Last Christmas, I gave you my heart_  
 _But the very next day, you gave it away_  
 _This year, to save me from tears_  
 _I'll give it to someone special (special)_

 _Once bitten and twice shy_  
 _I keep my distance but you still catch my eye_  
 _Tell me baby do you recognize me?_  
 _Well it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me_

 **-Last Christmas - Wham-**

* * *

A crack was heard echoing through the dark and dusty hallway of Grimmauld Place number 12 in London. Harry Potter had just finished a long day of filing paperwork at the aurors office at the Ministry of Magic, like he had been doing for almost a year since…

Tiredly he shuffled to the kitchen and called out 'Kreacher.' With a pop the withered old house elf appeared in front of him. ''What does master want from Kreacher.'' The elf mumbled. Plopping down on the bench next to the dinner table Harry asked ''Did you prepare some dinner? And were there any owls of floo calls for me when I was at work?'' ''Kreacher has prepared master some sandwiches.''The elf said and popped away, only to return with a plate filled with several sandwiches. ''Master has received two owls and one floo call while away. Kreacher had put the letters on masters desk in his office.''The elf continued.

While the elf was talking Harry had opened the Daily Prophet that he had left there that morning. Looking over his paper he gazed at Kreacher, making the elf start to fidget by the hard stare. ''What was the call about Kreacher?'' He asked coldly. ''Mistress Weasley called for master to ask if he would consider giving up seeing his children for the Holidays.'' The poor elf almost whimpered as he saw his master's rage build up. ''How dare she to ask that from me!'' Harry raged, throwing his paper at the wall not far behind was the plate with sandwiches, almost hitting Kreacher to the head.

Getting up harry tipped the bench he was sitting on over with a loud bang and stormed off to his office grumbling under his breath, leaving Kreacher behind to clean up the mess he just made. For the house elf this was almost becoming a routine. Over the year Ginny started to ask Harry if he would rather not see his children more and more often. A year ago this was totally different, Harry was married and moved to a new house. He had been considerately happy with his three young children and wife, even if he loved someone else. Not that people knew, not even his best friends.

Sighting the old elf went to cleaning the now even messier kitchen. After he was done he shuffled to mistress Black's portrait to complain and polish the dark wooden frame once more today to calm down from his current masters episode.

With a bang Harry threw his office door shut, in his head ranting over 'How dare she!'. 'Always have I treated her like the princess she thinks she is. Why does one slip of the truth almost a year ago and she still tries to pull me down even further. Why does she want to take away the last thing I care about. It is not like he would want anything to do with me, he did this to me after all.' He thought as he crumpled to the floor finally letting his tears flow down his face.

* * *

 **A year ago, Christmas day**

That morning Harry and Ginny were woken up very early by three overexcited kids who wanted to open their presents underneath the Christmas Tree as fast a possible. Each of the bouncy kids had gotten multiple gifts from family and friends. The rest of the day was spent playing games and having fun in the Potter household until the kids were worn out and went to bed.

After the children had gone to bed Harry retired to his office to finish up left over paper work taken home from the office because he wasn't finished in time for the holidays. He was after all a very sought after auror as the Boy-Who-Lived, Chosen one and defeater of Voldemort, this meant he sometimes didn't have enough time to finish paperwork. So every now and then he would take some of his work home to finish over the weekend or late at night.

After a while one hour of work turned into multiple hours and Ginny was already asleep by the time he was done working. Feeling satisfied he led his mind wander around a bit and relax. Lately his relation had been a bit strained between Ginny and they regularly fought over small things. It reminded him of the fact that he saw her more as a sister than someone to be in a romantic relationship with. In fact he actually like totally someone else. Not that he would ever say that to anyone. After All the Golden Boy shouldn't want a relationship with the scion of a Death-Eater. The Weasleys would have his head if he told them it was none other than Draco Malfoy.

If only his relation with Ginny could be like that. Frustrated an idea struck him, he would write a confession, just to get it off his heart so he could devote everything to his children and Ginny. So Harry grabbed stationery with the Potter crest on the bottom and started pouring out his heart. Telling about the moment he met Malfoy on their first day at Hogwarts where he refused their friendship, afraid to lose the one he had already made with Ron. To the regret on the Sectumsempra incident and the guilt still haunting him to that day for almost killing the person he loved. And the brief encounters he has every day with the blond at the ministry that made his heart flutter in his chest.

When he was done writing Harry felt drained but also very peaceful. It really was a relieve to vent his feelings somewhere. To be sure no one would stumble across the letter he sealed in a envelope with wax, he did address it might he ever consider sending it. Done for the day he left his office for bed leaving the letter on his desk. The next day he would find it to be one of the biggest mistakes he had ever made, as his youngest had thought to be helpful for his father and send out the letter thinking it looked like a letter that needed to be posted.

* * *

The Next day would go into history as the day Harry Potter lost everything he loved and more. As Draco had read his letter and send it to the Daily Prophet for the morning edition. the blond had always want to best his childhood nemesis and this was the perfect moment to do so. He had always found Potter to be off around him so that explained it. What happened after the letter was made public satisfied him more than he would admit.

When Harry got wind of the letter being spread by the papers he decided to give the entire story in an interview, hoping to calm down the public. The only thing that did was sign his divorce and turning people against him entirely, as the Malfoys had come back into powers more slowly but surely after the war. Draco had given his own interview in reply and proclaiming Harry as a dumb love struck fool that live on his glory of winning the war. The public believed it and so did his friends.

Ginny had filed for a divorce within a month and forced Harry to move out of their house, so he went to live a Grimmauld Place. He also wasn't allowed to see his children more than two days in a month, which meant he could only see his children one weekend every four weeks.

Ron was also livid, saying he had betrayed his sister and the entire Weasley family by liking a Malfoy. Now Harry received at least one howler every day reminding him of how much he is despised by the family. Ron also forbade Hermione from contacting Harry in any way shape or form. And to Harry's surprise she listened for once, afraid to break her relation with Ron over the issue. But also because she felt hurt, she was his best friend after all and he didn't tell her he felt something for the Slytherin Prince.

Because he lost his children and best friends Harry got depressed and started slacking at work. At first they turned a blind eye to it because people were still angry but after a while it was enough. He was eventually demoted to junior auror after he had almost killed one of the victims in a crime because he was distracted.

How could something so simple as the truth about his feelings ruin his entire life. He had sacrificed his life and friends to be honest, even if it was caused by accident. The only result of it all was that he was being ridiculed by the one person he loved.

* * *

'Why was life like this?' Harry though still crumpled on the floor of his office at Grimmauld Place. ''How could be Malfoy be so cruel?'' Harry asked to no one in particular. ''Everybody should have some form of a heart?'' Then an idea sparked in his head, it was almost Christmas again. What is he made amends with Ginny and the Weasleys, so he could repair everything to normal. If it was only so it seemed normal to his children, so their Christmas wouldn't be ruined. He would treat Ginny as a princess and do everything she asks for, would even deny his true love for Draco Malfoy for it. Maybe if he gave up his love he could at least get something resembling a life back. Yes, he would fix it so his children could be happy, especially for Christmas.

Having his mind made up he got up from the floor wiping his face from tears and called out ''Kreacher.'' With a pop the house elf appeared in front him. ''I have a message for you to deliver to Ginny and the Weasleys.'' Harry said and started dictating his message to Kreacher.

* * *

 **Word count: 1658  
**

 **This was done for Yule in Skammdegi at The Golden Snitch community**

 **This is the prompt is used for the story:** **  
During the Yule period there was drinking, feasts, and games, but you also made sacrifices to the Gods of some form. The day of sacrifice is believed to have been at the end of the Yule period, January 12: _Write about someone sacrificing something drastic to get something they want. This can be anything from sacrificing their love life for a job, to something as drastic as someone sacrificing their child in a dark ritual to ensure wealth._**

 ** _The song I used for this story:_** **Last Christmas - Wham**

Thank you very much for reading an leave a review if you want!


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